What else is worth knowing about the UK market?
Competition in the UK is enormous. Establishing a presence in this market requires a thoughtful approach to both SEO and business. For starters, let’s check out how taxes are regulated.
Duty rate
Goods shipped between the EU and the UK are subject to a 0% tariff, and it is necessary to demonstrate the origin status of the goods – in accordance with the Trade andCooperation Agreement (TCA).
VAT rates
Three VAT rates and an exemption apply.
- Basic rate of 20% on most goods and services.
- Reduced rate of 5% on, among other things: electricity for household use, energy-saving materials, children’s car seats.
- The 0% rate on products such as printed books, magazines, children’s clothing and footwear, among others.
Note: Registering a VAT number can take up to several weeks. This is the time it takes for the UK tax authority(HMRC) to conduct a full verification.
Check out UK VAT information here: https://www.gov.uk/vat-rates
Tax on plastic packaging
If you operate in the UK and manufacture or import plastic packaging items of 10 tons or more in a 12-month period, you are subject to Plastic Packaging Tax. The tax applies to packaging containing less than 30% recycled plastic.
Packaging not only protects goods during transport, but significantly affects the buyer’s experience and the realization of environmental values.
According to a study by DeliveryX Packaging Report 2023:
- For nearly 24% of UK consumers, sustainable packaging (biodegradable and environmentally friendly) is very important.
- For 50% of consumers, they are important.
Product labeling
Not all products are subject to mandatory labeling. Those that are subject to it must contain reliable information that does not mislead consumers about:
- quantity or size,
- prices,
- materials used,
- production sites,
- Product support organizations.
Special labeling rules apply to: shoe industry, food and beverages, children’s products, precious metals.
BRC Certification
BRC(British Retail Consortium) certification is official confirmation that a company or facility meets certain standards for food safety, production quality and regulatory compliance. Certification is a prerequisite for selling food on the UK market and for establishing cooperation with large retail chains in the UK.
Data protection
The EU General Data Protection Regulation (RODO) is a European Union regulation that does not directly apply in the UK. However, the provisions of RODO have been incorporated into the UK legal system with some modifications. They now operate as RODO UK (UK GDPR), which runs in parallel with the amended Data Protection Act 2018. (Data Protection Act 2018).
Important note: All businesses and organizations that process personal data are required to pay a data protection fee to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).
E-commerce in the UK
It is worth thinking in advance about the payment methods preferred by residents of the British Isles. According to research by the Merchant Advice Service, retailers that do not provide adequate payment methods lose more than £1 billion (!) a year.
Payment methods
According to PPRO ‘s 2023 e-commerce payments report, UK residents are most likely to make purchases with:
- payment cards (46%)
- digital wallets (35%)
- bank transfers (9%)
Other forms of payment account for 10%.
The UK market is dominated by methods such as PayPal, Apple Pay and Google Pay, as well as deferred payment systems(Buy now, pay later) such as Klarna and Clear Pay.
Mobile devices
In the UK, purchases are mainly made via smartphones. In Q3 2024, using these devices 72% of online orders were made. Smartphones accounted for 76% of website visits.
How to improve website positioning in the UK?
The main search engines are Google, Bing and Yahoo. Google, with nearly 95% of the search engine market share , undoubtedly dominates.
But let’s not forget that social networks also act as search engines. We are talking, for example, about YouTube, which is the most recognized social network in the UK, as well as Instagram and Tik Tok.
Website optimization
What does website optimization in the UK include?
We will start the positioning of the website with an advanced SEO audit. We will conduct an in-depth analysis of your site in terms of visibility in UK search engines. Based on the results we will develop:
- Detailed strategic recommendations
- A concrete plan for optimization activities
- Schedule for implementation of changes
The result that concludes the first month of cooperation is an SEO strategy that summarizes all the analysis and provides a plan of action.
Choosing the right domain
For companies planning a long-term presence in the UK market, we recommend domains with a .co.uk or .uk extension. This choice carries significant benefits:
- Increased visibility in search engines – algorithms interpret local extensions as more relevant to users from a particular region
- Building trust among British consumers – local domains significantly increase brand credibility, which directly translates into purchasing decisions
Management of multilingual sites
- Hreflang tags: we will inform search engines which version of your site is intended for the selected market. Correct implementation of these tags directs relevant users to the correct language versions.
- Subdomains and subdirectories: you can opt for subdomains (e.g. uk.yourwebsite.com) or subdirectories (e.g. yourwebsite.com/uk) depending on your business strategy and goals.
Content marketing tailored to a British audience
UK positioning requires adapting content to local customs, culture and consumer expectations. By doing so, the company increases visibility in search results and, importantly, gains the trust of UK users.
Content location
The two variants of English (British/American) have much in common, but there are differences. It depends on the word used whether your site appears in search results.
For example, if you run a furniture store, you may want to position your website in the UK for the phrase furniture store. The British use the word shop, rather than like Americans, for whom it is a store is the appropriate expression.
In the UK, a professional yet approachable and courteous tone is preferred.
Our content takes local into account:
- holidays (e.g., Guy Fawkes Night, Remembrance Day),
- Sporting events (e.g., Wimbledon, Premier League),
- Consumer habits specific to UK regions.
We avoid generic references and weave in references to local realities that British users can understand.
How to do competition analysis in the UK?
Keyword research is a complex and multi-step process, but getting it right yields excellent results.
This market is characterized by high saturation and competition. Preparing content for generally popular phrases may not be enough.
Competitor analysis
We will check what phrases your competitors are ranking for, analyze their content, structure and linking strategy.
We will perform Content Gap Analysis using tools such as Ahrefs or SEMrush. We’ll identify words that competitive sites are ranking for, but your site isn’t yet – a great opportunity to expand your content strategy.
Key phrases related to location
If you’re selling regionally, it’s a good idea to include city- and region-specific phrases in your SEO strategy (e.g., construction services in Edinburgh) and thus establish visibility in local search results.
Semantic analysis
Using key phrases semantically related to your main keyword phrases helps Google better understand the context of your content. For example, if your site is about “mountain biking,” we will include content about bike trails, bike accessories, etc. In this way, our content marketing strategy addresses broader user needs and allows Google to better understand the site’s subject matter.
What does effective link building in the UK include?
Effective link building is a process that requires a thoughtful, nuanced and long-term strategy. A well-executed link building campaign in the UK translates not only into an increase in Google.co.uk search engine position, but also into increased local organic traffic and building brand recognition in the UK market.
Acquiring backlinks from trusted and reputable UK sites is the foundation of a successful SEO strategy. Articles, mentions in local sites and topical portals are of great value to a site – we will take care of creating content that will appeal to UK users.
Marketplace in the UK
A presence on marketplace platforms in the UK, especially on Amazon, can affect sales. If you’re not yet selling on a marketplace, we’ll give you a hint on which platform to choose.
- We will analyze all aspects that can affect your visibility and sales – from product descriptions to images to customer reviews.
- We will investigate what key phrases are most commonly used by potential customers in the UK.
- We will optimize your product listings to make them more attractive to users and more visible in the search results of e-commerce sites.
Why should you do SEO in the UK with us?
- Only the services you need
The offer we will prepare for you consists of services that address the problems and needs of your site. We will offer you nothing more than what will help your business grow in the UK.
- Local expert
We are an SEO agency from Poland, but we have several years of experience in SEO in the UK market and additionally consult a local expert who is up to date with the situation in the country.
- Direct contact with a specialist
Your questions will not be passed on to the next person in the team. Each of our specialists manages projects without intermediaries.
- Access to real-time results
The entire SEO process and all activities are transparent. You will have access to them at any time.
We will be your guide and partner who will not only prepare and execute your SEO strategy in the UK, but also guide you through this market. Benefit from our experience.
